LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – Greenhouse gas emissions within the European Union edged up in the opening quarter of 2026. Eurostat reported seasonally adjusted emissions at 837 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing a 0.3% increase from the previous quarter, with the final tally for Q4 revised to 835 million tonnes. During this same period, EU gross domestic product showed no quarterly growth, providing a clear comparison between economic output and emissions.
Conversely, the year-on-year trend showed a decline, with Greenhouse gas emissions decreasing by 1.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025, while EU GDP grew by 0.8%. The data encompass carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, all measured using a standard CO2-equivalent metric. This quarterly series tracks emissions from economic activities and households across all 27 member states, adjusting for seasonal effects.
Among the major sectors, energy-related activities experienced the largest quarterly increase, with emissions from electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply rising 4.8%, and water and waste management activities climbing 0.7%. Household emissions, however, decreased by 1.3%, while manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage each saw a 0.6% drop. Manufacturing remained the leading source, accounting for 20.8% of total emissions, followed closely by households at 20.2%.
Most EU nations see quarterly upticks
In the first quarter, emissions grew in 20 EU member states but declined in seven. Estonia experienced the largest increase at 9.7%, with Finland at 6.4% and Bulgaria at 4.6%. These rises were mainly driven by heightened emissions from construction and energy supply. Slovenia registered the biggest decrease at 5.0%, while Luxembourg fell 3.8%, and Romania’s emissions dropped 2.7% compared to the previous quarter.
Most of the countries with increased emissions also saw their economic output rise. Eighteen of these 20 nations reported GDP growth during the same period, while among the seven countries with reductions, Spain, Greece, France, and Slovenia either maintained or increased their economic activity. These figures illustrate how emissions and economic growth moved in tandem across individual economies during the first three months of 2026.
Full-year emissions remain below 2015 levels
Annual figures reveal that emissions have been on a longer-term decline across the EU, with greenhouse gas emissions from the economy and households totaling approximately 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2025. This figure is 17.2% lower than the total in 2015. The annual data include emissions from businesses, public sectors, and households, providing a broader perspective compared to the quarterly figures, which focus on short-term fluctuations in energy use and economic activity.
Thus, the first-quarter data indicate a slight rise compared to late 2025 but a decrease from the same period in the previous year. During this timeframe, the European Union experienced higher economic output on an annual basis while greenhouse gas emissions declined. The latest data also highlight significant variations across sectors and member states, with energy supply being the largest contributor to sector increases and several countries recording measurable reductions.